Residential Care Home

[hotlips11]

Don't quite know where to post this. I'm a Senior Carer working in a Residential Care Home, not EMI registered or nursing. 26 bed home with 10 double handed care. 1 lady came into us after a fall and became ill after 4 days and admitted to Hospital. Returning back to the home as 'nursing,palliative care' Said to manager today as always working short staffed (sometimes only 3 carers to shift!!) lady should be going to nursing home as we haven't the capacity for anyone else who is nursing. Reply was to get on with it. Been there nearly 12 months and worst home I've worked in (been in care for 38 years). High turnover of staff, agency can't always get cover as no one wants to come there. What staff we have left are all shattered.. Owners live up country and seldom come to home ( once in time I've been there) . Have an accountant who works on their behalf. Have tried to speak to him, left messages to no avail. Only have e-mail address for owners (two sisters who took over home when father who owned it died). Don't think owners aware of how bad situation is. Accountant knows staffing probs but still nothing is done. Do I e-mail owners but must say I had hoped to remain anonymous??!! At a loss as what to do. Any guidance greatly accepted.

[sddsddean]

My Mother in Law is in a care home. Took us ages to find a 'good' one, so can imagine your concerns. I would go straight to CQC and see what they say. You can ring or e mail.
http://www.cqc.org.uk/contact-us

[black_cat51]

yep, cqc

[Caribeing]

Voice your opinion anything concerning vulnerable people should be addressed they have no one to speak for them you are their advocate!

[Tilly2]

CQC, without a doubt.

[Bathsheba]

Hotlips....there's a kind + helpful guy on this site who works in the same area as you,... Ratter15....I do hope he either sees your post, or someone alerts him to it.
Best of luck to you, I really hope things improve

Baths x

[Cloverjo]

For the sakes of all the staff and residents I think you should tell the owners of the problems. Who knows what they are able or willing to do about it, but they should be told.

[Oiverbotel]

snap sddsddean!

Absolutely! Without fail. Contact CQC immediately! They WILL protect your anonymity and you'll feel better for having done this. We fail our elderly and vulnerable on an appalling level. These homes should be prosecuted for this.
I, for one, would not contact the owners direct; you'd most likely be seen as a trouble maker and forced out.
Please, please contact CQC, (be sure to get the name of the person you speak with!), make your concerns known to them and they will respond immediately. If you fail to see action within one business week, then call back, ask for a 'lead' or 'manager,' share what has happened and inform them that as there has been no action on CQC's part, you're contacting Dispatches at Channel 4.

I assure you, they'll move faster than snot on a doorknob!

Well done you for being concerned. There should be more like you!

Ollie

[Bathsheba]

What about sending owners an anonymous email from a throwaway email address?

[Peter Pedant]

Complaining will affect your job

It is a call you have to make - we clearly are on the side of the residents and you are as well - but we have larders full of bread....

I accused my employer of perjury and he spent the next five years ( until he retired in fact and was then replaced ) trying to fire me. It was a little matter of 2000 pages of evidence going down a shredder. Eventually held, not very convincingly, that it wouldnt have affected the outcome.
Virtually no whistle blower has said they would do it again knowing what would happen...

[RATTER15]

Peter, I have Whistle Blown many times, I have had one Care Home manager sacked, two deputy managers sacked and countless other staff, I have had embargoes put on homes and I am currently pursuing a complaint against my current Manager. Yes it can be a tough ride, you need to make sure your own house is in order as well and ride out the storm. Yes I will do it again and again in a heart beat!!

hotlips, It is our job to protect these people above all else, either go to CQC if in England or contact Adult Protection at your local Council.